The benefactors who have provided annual and endowed scholarships to Williamson students were honored during the 8th Annual Scholarship Celebration Luncheon in the Wesley Student Center on April 15.
The celebration included 52 scholarship donors and 112 Williamson scholars they are supporting getting acquainted as they ate lunch together followed by remarks from several speakers.
In his keynote address, Nick Ohnell, principal of Ohnell Capital, LLC, and co-creator of the Ohnell Legacy Scholarship and annual scholarships, after thanking the many donors for their support of Williamson’s scholars, said “We’re here because of Mr. Williamson’s lasting vision, and all of those who believed in it have helped sustain it and have kept it going strong for 138 years. Williamson outshines so many of what are considered the nation’s great schools by really providing the proper education. The school provides confident young men who, upon graduation, are fully prepared for their careers and, more importantly, to be an ethical, caring citizen. What could be better?
“Mr. Williamson believed in giving a young man the chance to help himself by honest, hard work and gaining a skill. It shows the power of a compelling idea that’s been crafted by the hands of caring doers. What a legacy and more importantly, what a future Williamson has. We all know how needed our trade skills are today. They’re in short supply, as are our new generation of adults with good Williamson-type values.
“This campus is where it happens in a unique way. You donors understand what it is that makes Williamson so special. You know your significant gifts are really making a difference now, but they will also keep giving over these young men’s entire lives. Seeing them makes me know our investment in Williamson is providing high returns for both these young people and for our country to know that successful investing. Thank you scholarship donors, thank you.”
Ohnell then offered the students some advice, saying “When asked what I owe any success that I’ve been blessed to have, the quick, easy reply I usually give is, ‘Oh, it’s just been hard work and good luck,’ both of which are true and needed in abundance, but they don’t begin to tell the whole story.
“When I reflect on what things helped me the most in building my business, I think of honesty, treating others well, having a driving desire, knowing good guys can and often do finish first, having a ‘can do’ attitude, knowing the customer is king, having a bias for action, and hiring the right teammates and then empowering them to make decisions. All these things ranked high. Having persistence was vital to getting over the tough spots.
“Or, as Joe Wesley might say, ‘In life, persistence overcomes resistance.’ How true. Trust me, these values will serve you well whether you work for a firm or for yourself. Great wisdom is certainly not a requirement, which is fortunate for me, but perhaps what really helped me the most was my ears. My ears. By that I mean I learned to listen in my dealings with other people.
“It sounds so simple, but many people truly don’t listen or stay focused on what’s being said to them. It is a needless, costly mistake. Listening is an ongoing free education. The person you are speaking with offers you information and clues as to what matters and is of interest to them. By listening, showing genuine interest and asking good questions, you’ll gain useful information, just as importantly, showing that interest is a courtesy that helps build a relationship with that individual, be them a fellow worker, employer, future customer, friend, or family member. People like to be listened to. Don’t we all?
“But by using my ears and my mind and asking good questions, I was able to gain an understanding of what his needs were and other worthwhile information. It kept the door open for potential return, which, fortunately, was often the case and led to building many good, strong, honorable relationships
“On the personal side, it works well to really listen to a loved one. So please remember that listening is a great free tool. God gave you two ears and only one mouth for a reason. Use them both well in the future that I know is ahead of all you Williamson mechanics.”
Michael Piotrowicz, president of Legacy Advisors, LLC, creator of the Piotrowicz Family Legacy Scholarship, and Williamson’s longest serving trustee, said in his introduction of Ohnell, “Nick attended Westchester County Community College and says he is a proud graduate of the School of Hard Knocks. Nick received an honorary degree from Manhattan College. He’s the principal of O’Neill Capital of Venture Capital. He obviously has had a very, successful business career and is now at the point in his life where he’s very focused on giving back and trying to make a difference in a way that he feels is important to make our society a better place.
“Nick serves as a trustee at the Manhattan Institute; the Storm King Arts Center; and Saint Anne’s School. He is a former trustee at Manhattanville College and his local Boy Scouts of America chapter. In 1992, Nick and his wife, Patricia, established the Ohnell Family Foundation.”
They have supported the Storm King Arts Center, Boca Raton Museum of Art, Socrates Sculpture Park, Greenwich Hospital, the Cancer Research and Treatment Fund, the Hospital for Special Surgery, the Breast Cancer Alliance, and Back on My Feet, a Philadelphia organization. At the Manhattanville College in Purchase, N.Y., they created the O’Neill Environmental Center.
After reading an article about Williamson, Ohnell became interested in funding a summer trade camp on campus. Now in its fifth year, the camp exposes high school students to the trades with the hope they may pursue the trades as a career at Williamson or another trade school. He also has fully endowed five scholarships and seven annual scholarships.
In his welcoming remarks, President Michael Rounds, said “Thank you for taking the time to join us today and for your important role in supporting our mission of educating and training Williamson Men. Our first Scholarship Celebration was in 2018. Attendance was so small it was held in our dining room. We have outgrown the dining room, but luckily we have the Wesley Student Center which is much larger.
“I’m excited to see all the supporters here because this school is built on philanthropy, starting with Mr. Williamson. And, none of it would be possible without the people in this room. So, I want to thank you all again.”
In her opening remarks, Dr. Michelle Williams, vice president of academic affairs and chief academic officer, said to the donors, “Because of your generosity we are able to continue to fulfill our mission. Young men are able to be active participants in an educational process that is of great benefit to them, their families, their communities, and to society at large. Our students are learning, growing, and becoming.
“So, today let us celebrate both the donors and students who continue to give and to receive in faith, integrity, diligence, excellence, and service. Thank you donors and thank you students.”
In his student remarks, Isaac Perkins 2W7, a Nick Ohnell Legacy Scholarship scholar and Machine Tool Technology student, said he grew up working with his father and family on job sites. “I was instilled with a keen sense of craftsmanship. I grew up with tools in my hands, grit in my mouth, and ideas in my head.”
Perkins decided in high school that he didn’t want to go to a traditional college and fell in love with machining the moment he walked into the Machine Shop. He said at Williamson he learned to slow down, check everything before starting, and make sure all your ducks are in a row before cutting a piece of metal.
“I learned that here in America, the more you put in, the more you get out. I realized that at Williamson we have that first step given to us and from there it is up to us and not anyone else to take the next step.”
In his trustee remarks Piotrowicz said, “We are a one-hundred percent scholarship supported institution. The only one in the country that offers a free education and room and board. When you have an institution that is one-hundred percent dependent on philanthropy we are relying on you and others to keep this institution going. And we are extremely appreciative of everything that you’ve done.”
He said the Scholarship Celebration began in 2018 with 14 donors and 18 scholars meeting in the dining room. “We got the program going and now, eight years later, we have 52 donors and 112 scholarship students. And, it gets bigger and bigger every year. We now have 29 legacy or fully endowed scholarship donors, some with multiple commitments. We are now supporting a little over one third of our students through the scholarship program. So, there is plenty of room to just make this bigger and bigger and bigger. Our dream is to have every student fully endowed with a scholarship. This is the biggest year by far and we’ve raised over $5 million through this scholarship program.”
He went on to say, “Seven scholars participated in the National Collegiate Landscape Competition, 12 scholars participated in the World of Concrete, five scholars held class officer positions, 14 scholars were members of Phi Theta Kappa, ten scholars received academic achievement awards, five scholars received persistence awards, and two scholars received the SAR’s award for outstanding service.
“So, the investments you are making with your hard-earned dollars are going to those type of students. You are changing lives. You are investing in these students that are doing amazing things. These young men will graduate with no debt and will receive multiple job offers. The will have very successful careers. They will be good fathers and productive members of society. They will make you proud. You are making a difference. Thank you so much for all you do for Williamson.”
The Scholarship Celebration also included a buffet luncheon and Rev. Dr. Mark Specht 7W7, chaplain, giving the meal blessing and benediction.
